Come Full Circle
by D. Mischief
Summary: At the end of ones lifetime what does a mech do? Stay where you currently are or return to the one place you feel you belong?


Authors note: This does not follow G1 canon or time line. This little bugger of a short story decided on its own to change and manipulate me to write it as you are about to read. I don't even know how it did that cause it is not what I originally intended it to be at all. Anyway hope you enjoy it...

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Sound reverberated down the empty halls as a heavy piece of metal hit the floor. As the dust settled, a pair of white peds skilfully worked their way through the hole until they came to a full stand on the floor inside. All was silent and still as the darkness suddenly retreated from the brilliant light of a single set of headlights.

_Why did I come here again? It's not like being back will change anything._

Slowly the light flicked up and down the hall as if confused on which direction to take. Stopping for a moment to access old memory files, the sound of vibrating metal loudly announced movement as the light started to make its way down the hall. Passing by door after door and through intersection after intersection, the light continued to cast an eerie glow on the dull, age worn orange walls.

_It should be around here somewhere. It's been so long but I'm sure I'd remember...yes there it is!" _

Commons, the name displayed on a plate as light briefly reflected off it. Sizing up the door, a red hand disappeared into a subspace pocked and pulled out a power wedge, using it to jimmy open the door. With a loud groan it gave slightly, just enough to allow it to be pushed open and allow entrance to the room behind. Quietness, where once was noise and laughter. Darkness, where once was light and song. From one side to the other, the light scanned over the empty room showing off layers of dust and dirt which had deeply accumulated on every surface.

_Huffer would have a glitch if he saw this much dirt in here, though Hound would probably have been happy with it. _

Slowly, with memory drenched movement, a hand made its way around the room; touching, feeling, remembering. Running over old and rusted energon dispensers created ghostly echoes of fonder times. Vivid memories of familiar friends interacting, talking, laughing, and playing games formlessly wafted around; seen yet unseen by the glowing set of blue optics. The hands silently ran over chairs and tables leaving only long finger sized streaks in the sediment.

_I can almost feel the chess pieces still. The laughter of Jazz while Prowl beat every single opponent who tried to challenge him. That one time...Blue's face was so priceless when he thought he had beaten Prowl only to discover he had dumbed down his processor speed. _

Wondering away from the tables, the hands reached out and ran across the shattered and ancient TV display; which long ago was the main gathering point of the room but now stayed silent and permanently dark.

_I can almost hear the twins trying not to yell at me for blocking their view right now. They knew better then to yell at me but they would get back at me later with some prank. Hmm...I thought this would make me feel better but it's just not the same anymore. _

Reaching the door a small smile appeared as more memories competed for ghostly presence in the room, almost overlapping, yet vanishing like smoke in the wind as the light exited; plunging it back into perpetual darkness. Walking the halls again, an urgent purpose to visit as many places as possible arose.

_Why does it feel like I'm going to turn a corner or open a door and they will all be back? Like this is some horrid processor malfunction... I wish it was just that. Maybe I should leave? _

Yet for all the thoughts that passed through his CPU he kept going. Entering and exiting room after room, seeing yet not seeing shapes of memories interacting around him. The light slowly made its way through the command deck, through the old Primes office, past Prowl's office, and down the engineering wing. With each room, each echo of times long past, the footsteps became shorter and more labored.

_Of all the times Ironhide complained about being old, could this be what he meant? Though I'm sure if Wheeljack didn't offline permanently vorns ago he would come up with some kind of crazy walking apparatuses; though it probably would explode on the poor mech who used it. Why did I come back here? I could go back, I still might have time._

However his fading lights caused him to retract that idea and keep going, to get to the place that he wanted to be in his spark. Sounds of whining pistons and gears started to accompany the drum of labored footsteps; footsteps which were becoming less and less steady.

_Not now! No not now, I'm so close. Please Primus; give me enough time to make it. I've done your work for so long you can wait for me just a while longer. _

Slowly and with great effort he made his way, while ghosts of the past flew by him; as if racing and urging him on. Then everything stopped as two large doors loomed out of the darkness.

_Finally..._

Leaning up against the door and though almost physically depleted, a charge was quickly placed and activated. Pushing himself back, he watched as it blew and powered the doors long enough to for them to slide open on their own accord. A soft resigned sigh followed alongside the dimming light as he made his way into the large white room. Memories again started to play out as he made his way one last time through his domain. Yet, even though when one was in his domain it usually involved pain and hurt, the memories playing out were not all sad and pain filled; for happiness and laughter also surfaced for one final remembrance.

_It has come full circle. I am back where I feel in my spark I belong. All this time...when we left...I never thought I'd come back._

Making it to an office off to the side, the lone mech dropped tiredly into the chair behind the desk. With the last of his strength he placed a well worn and dented wrench down upon the desk; red hands then folding across white plating and finally, at last, relaxed. Wearily, the once vivid blue optics faded to black and the sounds of grinding pistons and over abused systems faded away, leaving only silence.

"_Ratchet!_ _Ratchet get up, you're going to miss the party. I hear the twins made their high grad again. Come on, I don't want to miss it." Darkness gave way to a mixture of soft coloured light and a semi solid Wheeljack standing over him. "What's with that look? Come on, let's go. I know you never liked parties but they are waiting for you" reaching out he grabbed a hold of Ratchet's hand and dragged him out of his Med Bay._

Peace, darkness, silence. No longer was the air disturbed by tones and pitches. Once again the orange walls succumbed to the enveloping dark. Hallways and rooms were again empty, and footsteps no longer echoed down the corridors. The Ark returned to the peaceful slumber it had before the first hiss of a cutting torch broke its rest. Except now, a grey mech, sitting proudly and relaxed behind his desk, joined the eternal slumber.

_..... "Hey!!! Ratchet ma man, about time ya got here. We've been waiting for ya..."_


End file.
